Hell's Rebels

The Protest

Our Adventurers Meet

29

MAY/17

The day had come for Barzalai Thrune to address the people of Kintargo, and a small crowd had gathered outside of the Opera House where he stayed.

Azida, a perceptive elf Druid who had just arrived in Kintargo, was searching for allies among the crowd though her purpose was still unclear. Retheron, a human Paladin and follower of Iomedae, watched from the sidelines. He was concerned for the safety of those present and prepared to administer healing if need be. Kelek, a smooth talking human Rogue and Kintargo citizen wove his way through the waiting people. Carefully, he pick pocketed those he could. Kiev, a strong human Fighter, had come simply to see what was going on.

As Kelek pick pocketed and Azida searched, Retheron used his power to detect evil in the crowd. While there were many evil people, nothing rivaled the aura of one of Thrune’s Dottari guards. A woman in armor standing before the Opera House, Retheron could see that she was more evil than anyone he had ever sensed before. Despite his questions nobody would talk about her.

Suddenly, Thrune appeared in the window of the Opera House. A simpering smile on his face he spoke to the crowd of onlookers, detailing his new Proclamations and tolls for the city. Cruel and difficult to follow, they would make things harder for citizens. When he finished the crowd stood in stunned silence.

Then Kelek, seizing a rotting tomato from the cobblestone street, hurled it at Thrune, striking the window frame next to him. With that the crowd burst, yelling and screaming at the Opera House in protest of the new laws. Snarling, Thrune called down to the guard Retheron had spotted, screaming, Take care of them Nox Tesh! And by her command, the guards advanced on the citizens of Kintargo.

Azida, seeing this, cast a spell to help them escape and a great, billowing cloud of mist spread over the crowd. In the confusion, Retheron, Keiv, Azida and Kelek all found themselves fighting guards. Quickly escaping, Kelek ran to hide further into the city, Keiv, Azida and Retheron, together victorious over their foes and moving shortly behind. Crouching behind a building they peered back into the city square and saw a giant Hellhound attacking the remaining people, but they dared not go back to face it.

Hearing something down an alley, Kelek moved ahead and found some city guards attacking a man. Moving to stop them, the group succeeded and saved the man, who introduced himself as Rexus. He had disposed of a couple guards himself with a sleeping spell, but, still weak, he asked that they take him to the Long Road’s Coffee House. Kelek, unwilling to put himself in any further danger, declined to go… until Rexus suggested that he wished to thank them with more than just words.

With Keiv carrying Rexus, they headed to the Longroad’s Coffee House to hear his tale.